Bangalore, August 22, 2013: The abrupt termination of the management committees of 41 ‘A’ Grade temples in the State by the Congress government, much before the completion of their term, has become controversial with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) terming it “illegal”. The appointments were made during the previous BJP government’s regime.

Calling the termination “political interference in religious sector”, the BJP on Wednesday warned of launching an agitation if the Congress government did not withdraw the cancellation order issued on July 30.

Addressing a press conference here, BJP MLC and former Muzrai Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary said that the 41 committees were yet to complete their full term of three years. They had completed only eight to 18 months as of now, he said.

Pointing out that these committees had been formed as per the law by the State-level Dharmika Parishat, he told The Hindu that the Congress government had not even taken the members of the parishat into confidence while abruptly terminating the temple management committees.

“Only ex-officio members of the parishat such as bureaucrats have been party to the termination of the committees, while the seven nominated members have not been involved in the process of cancellation,” he said. BJP general secretary C.T. Ravi, who was present at the press conference, claimed that the Siddaramaiah government had lost its initial enthusiasm and the speed by the time it completed 100 days of administration.

He said that presidents and vice-presidents were yet to be elected in the urban local bodies even four months after the elections as the government was yet to prepare the reservation rota.

Source: The Hindu, August 22, 2013